Profit Players: Dominic Solanke

Liverpool’s sporting direct Michael Edwards has been hailed after selling Dominic Solanke to Bournemouth in a deal worth £19 million plus add ons, but there is reason to suggest that the deal will eventually come back to haunt the Reds.

Solanke may not have much experience in the Premier League but the signs are there to suggest he has an incredibly bright future in English football: Jose Mourinho tipped him to become a top player in 2015, he has been in prolific form for England’s U21 side and his cameo appearances at Liverpool hinted that, with meticulous attention to his development, he will blossom in the coming years.

But, despite the compelling case Solanke made for growing at Liverpool, Edwards came to an agreement with Bournemouth over a mid-season deal.

The Reds initially signed Solanke from Chelsea in the summer of 2017, but the deal was far from straightforward, despite the fact he was out of contract at Stamford Bridge, due to the fact he was under the age of 24 when he agreed to the switch.

A disagreement between the two clubs over how much Solanke was worth threatened to take the matter to a tribunal, but they eventually came to an agreement over an undisclosed fee (via Liverpool Echo), which is likely to fall somewhere between Liverpool and Chelsea’s respective £3 million and £10 million valuations – a tricky and somewhat messy agreement between the two sides which could have been far worse had it gone to a tribunal.

Based on the premise that Liverpool did make a profit from the sale of Solanke, it’s easy to understand why the supporters have praised Edwards for his ability to command the £19 million price-tag for his signature, but they seem to be ignoring the fact that in the modern era that’s not a huge amount of money.

Solanke is an English player who would contribute to the homegrown quota and is bursting with potential at just 21-years-of-age, so there’s no question Bournemouth might well have stolen a bargain signing.

With the right level of first-team opportunities could become an instant hit on the south coast, where he will presumably be given the chance to develop which his early career has merited.

Liverpool supporters have been quick to praise the decision to sell the former Chelsea prospect, but Solanke has the quality to silence the eulogisers and prove Edwards has made a huge mistake in the transfer market.